[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith":3,"chapter-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-684":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Childhood Friend of the Zenith",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1240434,1667,"Chapter 683","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-684",684,"\u003Cp>Ghost Spear\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A member of the Ghost Sword Unit, and one of the rare female demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite being a spearman like Tang Deok, she was an unusual case of a spearman belonging to the Ghost Sword Unit. As her name suggests, the Ghost Sword Unit was a group led by Sword Demon, composed of swordsmen under his command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The presence of a spearman in such a group implied two things:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First:“She must possess exceptional skills to justify her inclusion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second:“She must be insane enough for the Ghost Sword Unit to accept her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost Spear fulfilled both criteria.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[“Kya-hahahahaha!!!”]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Witch of the Battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her pierce through warriors or slash them apart with her long spear was nothing short of terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was always drenched in blood, her gaze wandering like a predator in search of prey—an evil spirit incarnate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her abilities were evident.She was a master capable of single-handedly annihilating three elite units from the Martial Alliance with just her spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her spear techniques were so brutal that she earned the prefix \"Ghost \" in her name, making her a perfect match for the Ghost Sword Unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there was a problem, however, it would be:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Her quarrels with the Green King .”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Sword Demon had conflicts with the Demon Sword Queen, Ghost Spear frequently clashed with the Green King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, to be fair, the Green King caused trouble everywhere, so he always had enemies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was even a time when he provoked me and got beaten to a pulp.And another time when the Green King and Sword Demon fought to the death, only for the Heavenly Demon to intervene and utterly devastate the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given that history, it wasn’t surprising that Ghost Spear and the Green King didn’t get along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what was surprising was:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This lunatic didn’t have any conflicts with anyone else except the Green King.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike Sword Demon or the Green King, this crazy woman somehow managed to avoid friction with others.Yet, she repeatedly fought tooth and nail with the Green King…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And she’s still alive. That’s the most surprising part.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Green King is one of the Demon Cult’s Lords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how skilled Ghost Spear may be, she wasn’t on the same level as the Green King or Sword Demon.And yet, the fact that she kept surviving those fights meant…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did the Green King spare her?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was puzzling. The Green King was known for ruthlessly killing women, elders, and even children, tearing them apart.Why would he repeatedly spare her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Whatever the reason, I don’t care.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The past didn’t matter. What was important now was:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I need to make use of her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this life, I had to utilize Ghost Spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frankly, I had no idea how to make use of a lunatic like her.But there was no other choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t have enough intel to act otherwise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group I was currently assembling was based on the information I retained from my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can only work with those I know from my previous life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past three years, I had been carefully selecting and corrupting individuals, turning them into demons only if they fit my criteria—those who had been useful or active during this period in my previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost Spear was one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…! H-Harder…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eerie voice from beneath my feet prompted me to instinctively swing my leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon’s head was struck, sending her flying and rolling across the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn, I hit her a bit too hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I lost control because of how creepy she is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tumbled and eventually hit a rock, groaning in pain.Nearby, Seong Yul staggered to his feet, his hair disheveled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this ridiculous sight, I let out a dry laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A lord reduced to this state…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To see Seong Yul—once Bong Soon’s lord in my past life—looking like this was truly absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you doing here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I questioned Seong Yul, who groaned and held his head as if suffering from a headache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I sensed an aura and came to investigate, but I was ambushed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aura?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, I immediately turned to Nahi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t you block the aura?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I apologize.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nahi immediately bowed in apology. Her reaction made me chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you apologizing? You blocked it properly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I arrived here, I could sense traces of the aura being blocked.Although the barrier was weak, it was clearly in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nahi had already taken precautions.Yet Seong Yul had managed to sense it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he detected it despite the precautions, it’s not Nahi’s fault.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not necessary to be so harsh. This guy’s just unusual.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul’s sensitivity to auras was probably abnormally sharp.Shaking my head, I turned toward Bong Soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the record, I had given her the name Bong Soon.When I first found her, she was like a wild animal without even a proper name. So, I gave her one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was that why you got ambushed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not the whole story, is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pressed further, and Seong Yul hesitated to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was that why you got ambushed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not the whole story, is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul clamped his mouth shut at my rebuttal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew Bong Soon’s strength.Even if she faced Seong Yul head-on, she wouldn’t lose easily. If they were to engage in a life-or-death battle, Seong Yul would have a slight edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he truly fought with the intent to kill, Seong Yul, armed with the Heavenly Killing Star (천살성), would come out on top.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Bong Soon was currently restrained and exhausted, making it impossible for her to have ambushed Seong Yul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering the circumstances…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did you let her hit you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He let himself get hit knowingly. That was the only logical conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I prodded further, watching as Seong Yul squirmed uncomfortably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That confirmed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you did let her hit you. What’s the reason?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Well…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing he couldn’t avoid the question any longer, Seong Yul hesitated before finally answering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I just… didn’t want to fight a woman…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without thinking, I smacked him over the head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of idiotic nonsense is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was women, children, or anyone else, the Green King and Sword Demon showed no hesitation in cutting them down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more I looked at Seong Yul, the more ridiculous he seemed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On top of that…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you need a sword through your throat to snap out of it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His naive mindset was getting on my nerves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you keep this up, you’ll die. Get a grip.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he still looked confused, Seong Yul reluctantly nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is why rookies with no real combat experience…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not wanting to fight because the opponent was a woman? That was an answer I hadn’t heard in a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some righteous warriors, it might have been a reasonable response, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That kind of thinking gets you killed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In all the wars I’d witnessed, everyone who thought like that ended up dead.After seeing it happen time and time again, most people would change their mindset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though I’ve always been like this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head slightly and glanced at Bong Soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh… It hurts…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, she was still dazed from the blow to her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned as she stumbled to her feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I was trying to knock her out, but she’s still standing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had feared I might have killed her by accident because I hit her harder than intended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My original plan was to knock her unconscious, yet Bong Soon was up and moving as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She then fixed her violet eyes—symbolic of her demonic nature—on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did you hit me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she seriously asking that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because you were spouting nonsense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why? Why? I’m human, so I can’t bark nonsense. Oh, but maybe I can try?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should I do?Should I just kill her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though we hadn’t exchanged many words, I was already irritated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did you charge at me when I told you to stay still?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon raised her voice and replied indignantly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s your fault! You said you’d let me mate, but you didn’t! You called me here, tied me up, stepped on me—and I liked that part, by the way! You can do it again next time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her choice of words was truly a masterpiece of insanity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Mate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Seong Yul gave me a strange look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you looking at, you idiot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly averted his gaze, but his narrowed eyes suggested his thoughts were anything but innocent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is a total shitshow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When the fuck did I ever say that, you crazy bitch? I told you I don’t do that kind of shit!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why the hell did you call me? Weren’t you going to do it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I called you because there’s work to do!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, no mating?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fuck me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This conversation was going nowhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t even like talking to an animal—it was worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sigh. “Forget it. Did you do what I fucking told you to do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yep!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon answered with a bright, innocent smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only killed the people you told me to! I even spared those guys we saw this morning! I listened so well! So now mating—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What exactly did you do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cut off her bullshit and got straight to the point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You said you only killed the ones who needed killing. How the fuck did you handle it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ohhh.”Realizing what I meant, Bong Soon nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Killing just one guy was kinda tricky… so I captured everyone, told them I’d only kill that one bastard and spare the rest if they cooperated! They were so excited to help! I’m pretty smart, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ran a dry hand down my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She uttered the most terrifying things with such an innocent expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I called for Nahi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nahi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What about the witnesses? How the fuck did you handle them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No one saw the spear user directly, but there were too many who could make deductions, so we had to take care of most of them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean you killed them all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not entirely. We handled only those listed in the ledger you provided, and we silenced the rest with restrictions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Restrictions, huh… doesn’t sound very reassuring.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shall I handle it further? Brother Deok is in that area right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. Leave the innocent ones alone for now. If anything happens, we’ll deal with it then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my fist as I said this and brought it down hard on Bong Soon’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaagh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon screamed, clutching her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring her cries of pain, I grabbed her hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tight!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I sent Jegal Hyuk with you. How the fuck did things end up like this? Huh? You disobeyed orders again, didn’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaagh! Leader, it hurts!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s supposed to hurt! That’s the fucking point!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But! I didn’t want to listen to that stuck-up bastard’s orders…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, so if you won’t listen to him, that means you won’t listen to me either, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jegal Hyuk followed my orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Jegal Hyuk gave her instructions, it was as good as my own orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My gaze grew colder, and killing intent began to seep into my expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon, who had been screaming, froze as she felt the weight of my killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does this look like a fucking joke to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My voice came out dry and low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sure I told you: if you can’t follow orders properly, you’re fucking useless to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“L-Leader…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t need a disobedient pawn. Should I just kill you here and now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…H-huh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tears welled up in Bong Soon’s eyes, pressed down by the weight of my killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her small shoulders began trembling as her eyes reddened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her like this, I didn’t look away and waited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I-I’m sorry… I’m really sorry… I won’t do it again….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Bong Soon apologized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did I release my grip on her hair and let her go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hic… sniff…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop fucking crying. It’s annoying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sniff…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s such a frustrating and annoying creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter her skill, Bong Soon was like a ticking time bomb. Keeping her around was a chore, and I didn’t have time to teach anyone anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if she had a high cultivation level, if she couldn’t control herself, she was fucking useless. Her pure temperament made it difficult for orders rooted in demonic energy to truly take hold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In situations like this, a brute who thrived on violence was often more useful. Bong Soon was at the point where getting rid of her might be the better option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s why I’m debating this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I just kill her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she’s too hard to control, it might be better to eliminate her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I pondered whether to end her now…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Forget it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Sniff… okay….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, I chose to endure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone I had gathered so far had their uses, and the same went for Bong Soon, the so-called “Spear User.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was necessary for me—especially during times like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Bong Soon stifled her tears, I recalled something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Bloodline of the Divine Sword Queen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point in time, no one in the world knew, but Bong Soon was the daughter of the previous Divine Sword Queen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t Bong Soon herself that I needed but the bloodline of the Divine Sword Queen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Sword Queen was one of the biggest secrets and disgraces hidden by the Martial Alliance—and one of the sharpest blades I was preparing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s why I have to use her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t kill her yet. Not until she served her purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swallowing my frustration, I spoke to Bong Soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tomorrow, go to the Martial Alliance and register for the tournament.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sniff…? Tournament?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon tilted her head, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a place where a bunch of idiots beat each other up to compete.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh! Sounds fun! I’ll do it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yeah, I figured you’d like it. So tomorrow…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced around before looking at Seong Yul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go with him and get the application done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait… what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly dragged into this, Seong Yul wore a bewildered expression, but I ignored him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve got nothing else to do anyway. Just go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression was anything but enthusiastic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then again, I could see why he’d feel uneasy about accompanying Bong Soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She might do something weird—or worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But, Leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon, now cheerful as if she hadn’t been crying moments ago, looked at me and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is there a prize for this competition?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There should be. Why? Do you need it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I recalled something about prizes like Daehwandan or swords being offered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I asked Bong Soon if she needed it, she replied with enthusiasm:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I win everything, can I mate with you!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her declaration, filled with determination, made my head throb painfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please stop bringing up that fucking mating nonsense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was she so obsessed with something so crude?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who even taught her about such things?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why not? You said there’s a prize!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ugh. Fine. If you win everything, we’ll think about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to humor her with an impossible goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, there was no way she’d actually win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon leapt to her feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really!? If I win, you’ll do it!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure. If you win everything, I’ll think about it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waved her off, hoping to end the conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Buzz—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I suddenly felt something strange behind me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Extending my senses, I tried to figure out what it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barrier I had set up was interfering with my perception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thick barriers like this were always a problem—they dulled the sensation of external presences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Releasing the barrier, I quickly spread my senses outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the fuck is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the presences I had already noted remained. Nothing unusual showed up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was it just my imagination?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering the thick barrier, it might have been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nodding to myself, I dismissed the thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But shortly after, I saw something odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh my, Young Master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a coincidence! Right, Seol-ah?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Y-Yes. A coincidence….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing at the registration desk for the Martial Arts Tournament, I found Tang So-yeol and Wi Seol-ah waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a coincidence indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>",2720,"2026-06-05T15:10:12.585Z",1,"novelbin.me","8f136584a6c43c64a1ef46d1b5ad4f89e878902102141755188addb0e4d7b8fa","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-685","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-683",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]